Victorians are being told to brace for wild and dangerous weather on Sunday, with potentially destructive storms forecast for some parts of the state.
Strong winds and heavy rainfall are expected across Victoria, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), while an extreme fire warning is in place for the Mallee region in the state’s north-west.
The State Control Centre (SCC) is urging communities in Victoria’s north and north-east to remain on alert for volatile weather as a low-pressure system builds across the state.
“This includes communities such as Mildura, Swan Hill, Euroa, Shepparton, Mansfield, Wangaratta, Corryong and Albury-Wodonga,” the SCC said.
“In these areas, very heavy rain and damaging or destructive winds are possible. Tornadoes may also occur.”
The weather bureau is predicting strong wind gusts and thunderstorms for Victoria on Sunday. (Twitter: Shane Whitley)
The storms are expected to bring 15 to 25 millimetres of rain to parts of the state, with 30mm possible in some areas.
On Sunday morning BOM forecaster Lincoln Trainor encouraged Victorians to stay across warnings and weather alerts.
“It is a big storm day widespread across Victoria … becoming severe in the afternoon across the north,” he said.
“We don’t have many of these … from about 1pm we’re going to see damaging to destructive winds, possible large hail and intense rainfall.”
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He said wind gusts of greater than 90 kilometres per hour and up to 120km/h were possible.
A Total Fire Ban is in place today for the Mallee district until midnight, while a high fire-danger rating is in place in the Northern and Wimmera districts.
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The SCC has urged people to take care on the roads, as wet conditions, fallen trees, debris and downed powerlines could make driving dangerous
“If you’re in the north-west, you need a fire plan. And if you’re in the north-east, you need a storm plan,” SES state agency commander Alistair Drayton said.
“Stay informed today, especially if you’re driving. Remember to never drive through floodwater — it could be the last decision you make.”
“If you are in an isolated area in the Mallee district, consider travelling to a city or larger town for the day as it is a much safer place to be on extreme fire danger days.”